In the giggling Fate's hands
by Ceti H. Black
Summary: Severus Tobias Snape was ready to pass on. Fate, however, had another idea. Who wouldn't want another chance anyway? Eternal peace? Puh-lease, so boooring. AU, Time travel, redo type fic.
1. Prologue

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended**

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**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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**Brief summary: Severus Tobias Snape was ready to pass on. Fate, however, had another idea. Who wouldn't want another chance anyway? Eternal peace? Please, so boooring.**

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Severus Tobias Snape was ready to pass on. He fulfilled his promise to protect Lily's son as best as he could. He even handed his precious memories over to the brat. He was a Master Occlumens and therefore immensely accustomed to keeping his thoughts private. Giving that up was nothing to sniff at. Now, he just wanted peace. No insane Dark Lords, no lemon-drop-loving Chess Masters, no Golden Trios from Hell. Nothing. He even gave up on the idea of seeking Lily's forgiveness. He hadn't even done anything truly horrid to the woman for Morgana's sake!

So he waited. His heartbeat was slower and slower, Nagini's venom burning in his veins. Darkness descended and enveloped him like an old, fluffy blanket. An then… Boom! Startled, he opened his eyes and then immediately closed them. So much light! Trying to wait through the pain, he strained to hear instead. Giggling. Really? Was this his own private hell? Eternity with a giggling woman? Was she blonde? He opened his eyes. Of course she was. Lavish golden curls adorned with multicolored ribbons were reaching down near her ankles.

- Hello Sev – she giggled

He closed his eyes again and ignored the idiot girl. Maybe she would go away.

- I won't – she said

He quickly checked his occlumency shields but they were as impenetrable as ever.

- I'm Fate – this time the voice came from behind him so he spun around.

Did she apparate? He hadn't heard the tell-tale sound. She giggled again. Severus glared at her but she just winked at him. Baby blue doll like eyes gazed at him innocently. At least they weren't twinkling.

- What can you possibly want from me? – he sneered bitterly.

- I want to give you another chance.

He stared at her disbelievingly.

- Of course, because this is what I want the most now. To go through my whole life all over again!

She smiled insanely, obviously not getting the sarcasm in his tone.

- Fabulous! I knew you would love my idea. Death was a bit skeptical and Destiny said I was mad but now I can prove them all wrong! – she started dragging him towards a sparkling sunny yellow portal which seemingly materialized from nowhere.

- Wait! – he tried to pry her off his arm but failed.

- Anyways, I'm not going to send you all defenseless, oh no, no, no! That would be sooooo awful! – she wrinkled her cute perky nose – I'm going to give you the best gift ever! You Mr. Snape are not only going to retain your memories and powers but also be a true seer! – she exclaimed

- Whaa….

The portal sucked him in. The last thing he saw was Fate, bouncing lightly from all the excitement, waving feverishly and squealing from joy.

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_So, what do you think?_


	2. Imperio

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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He woke up with a start. A dream? A particularly eerie dream at that. When was the last time he dreamt anyway? It wasn't often that his subconscious caught up with him. His occlumency skills fortunately kept it muted most of the time.

Sigh. No point in analyzing dreams when he had a whole day filled with potentially dangerous dunderheads ahead of him. Shudder. Teenagers and highly reactive potion ingredients? Only Albus bloody Dumbledore could consider it a splendid idea. A splendid idea indeed. Twinkly-eyed dumbell!

He opened his eyes and got out of bed. Ouch! An old ratty nightstand? Wait. He didn't have a nightstand like that. He warily scanned his surroundings, all traces of sleepiness now gone. His old bedroom? How come? He sold the sodding house as soon as his bastard of a father kicked the bucket.

The dream… The nightmare! No, no, no! This can't be happening! He painstakingly forced the dread down.

Why him?

He evaluated his options. Tempus! 12:30 22 08 1971. At least the idiot woman didn't make him relive his childhood. Maybe it wasn't so bad. He was Severus Tobias Snape after all – the youngest Potions Master in the written history and a Master Duelist. There weren't many people who could go against him and live to tell the tale. He was an infamous Inner Circle Death Eater too so no point in being squeamish now. True, he didn't have a wand on him right then but still, there were some spells he could do wandlessly. He would be exhausted afterwards but nevertheless… Yes, it would be worth it.

He descended the stairs. Where was his father anyway? Let's follow the alcohol stench. Oh, here he is. Snoring on a couch. How charming. He slapped him.

- WHAT! Boy! What the hell...

- Imperio.

Tobias' eyes glazed over.

- You've had enough. All of your heavily earned money. It's your money right? You don't need a family. A bunch of leeches.

- I don't need a family – A bit of drool rolled down Tobias' chin

- Yes, that's right – said the boy in a dark, velvet voice – So, you're going to get a divorce. Immediately. You'll give them enough money to get by and tell them to go away. You don't need them. Not now, not ever.

- I don't need them. – Tobias replied in a monotone voice.

- Good boy. Now go!

Tobias scurried to the door, tripping over empty bottles littering the floor. When he finally got out of sight, Severus, for the first time in what seemed to be ages, truly smiled. Yes, it wasn't so bad after all.


	3. The perfect Prince

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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_A/N:_

_In my fanfic wandless imperius is indeed traceless._

_Yes, I know that the canon Severus probably wouldn't have imperioed his father. However, this Severus is royally pissed that he has to basically redo his life. He also gave up on the idea of seeking Lily's forgiveness. That's a huge factor. He's a strong wizard and he's done with being a pawn too. He might have some "old, remorseful Severus" moments, though._

_Yes, Fate will be making some giggling appearances but it won't be anytime soon. Her twin Destiny will visit too. There will be some major twists because of that. I'm also planning to introduce Death at some point. He will have a very… unique personality._

_Future chapters include perplexed goblins, intrigued Walburga, the Black brothers as stalkers, teenage Rita Skeeter in a fangirl mode and one very annoying phoenix._

_The main pairing is yet undecided. Maybe I'll make a poll later on. Severus and Lily ship is not an option. Don't you find it even a tiniest bit annoying that he idolized her so much and she basically gave up on him? She was intelligent so she should have had some insight in his real character. She was his childhood friend after all._

_I think he deserves something more than that._

_Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! __^-^_

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Severus was thoroughly annoyed. How could this have happened? Scheming was his second nature. It was something he was brilliant at. He always had some back-up plans to counteract his masters' manipulations. It was essential – his basic tool of survival. Now, all his plans proved defective. How could he have not foreseen this?

In his original timeline, even after his father's death, he and his mother Eileen were always alone. They only had each other. The bloody Lord Prince turned a blind eye to their misery. Every pleading letter sent by his mother came back unopened. At the end, he didn't even grace her funeral with his presence. Severus always thought that he was a right bastard.

So why did he suddenly take an interest in their wellbeing? Something was terribly off. Was it Fate's interference?

Never matter, here he was, confined in his pathetic, eleven-year-old body, hastily summoned by his grandfather, sitting in a luxurious living room of the Prince Manor. His mother was right beside him. Her eyes red and puffy but her posture proud. Still, they clashed horribly with the dainty interior. Skinny and dressed in rags, they surely presented a pitiful sight and pity was something that Severus Tobias Snape detested the most.

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_**Lord Prince's POV**_

The letter from Gringotts astounded him. Many years ago, when his foolish, stubborn daughter decided to marry that filthy muggle, he immediately disowned her. Only after his grandson had been born, he slowly started to cool down. He desperately needed an heir. Right then the only other option was his cousin's son - Lucrece. The boy was a severe disappointment. Meek and skittish, he took his mother's every word as gospel. Odile was a strong but overbearing and exceedingly greedy woman. He detested her with passion. She didn't have any love for him either. What's more, he wouldn't put it past her to poison him at the earliest sign of weakness.

Having this in mind, he decided to formulate a clause, that would annul the disownment the moment Eileen divorced the filth. He waited and waited but nothing indicated that she would suddenly abandon her chosen path. The years passed and he wasn't getting any younger.

Two days ago, as tradition dictated, he finally decided to blood-adopt the French boy. The ritual's purpose was to immediately and irrevocably secure Lucrece's claim to the Prince lordship. His main hope, however, was for the boy to inherit some of the Prince family characteristics and break free from his mother's grasp. Subconciously though, he knew that it was just a pipe dream.

He was still preparing for the ritual, when the letter came. He was overjoyed. Pride forgotten, he hastily summoned his daughter and her son.

After two hours, the house elves informed him of their arrival. He almost stormed into the living room and was immediately struck speechless. This was not how he imagined it to be.

They presented a curious sight, though. Even half-starved and dressed in rags, they looked proud. His daughter's eyes were red and puffy. She was obviously distressed but still, she observed him with cool eyes. The boy sat stiffly, his face like a stone mask. Only his eyes shone with the displeasure at having to be here. There was no doubt that the Prince blood flew in his veins.

- Father – she greeted him cooly.

- Lord Prince – said the boy mimicking her tone, disdain clear in his eyes.

This was definitely going to take some time.


	4. Eileen

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

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**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately**

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_**Eileen's POV**_

Life was just plain crazy nowadays. She sighed. When did the world turn upside down?

She came home after an exhausting but completely normal day at work. She worked at a small natural apothecary and she absolutely loved her work. The quiet apothecary, filled with herbal scents and rarely visited by customers, was her favorite place in the world. Besides, it was as close to her qualifications as a Potions Mistress as possible in the muggle world. Still, she missed brewing so much! Severus would love it too if he had a chance to try it. He would surely be great at it. After all, it was the Prince blood that flew in his veins. Sadly, she couldn't teach him as it would have undoubtedly brought Tobias' ire.

She sighed again and took a quick glance at the cracked mirror in their dingy bedroom. Her slightly grey and greasy hair was forced into a tight bun and there were deep shadows under her eyes. She looked ten years older than she actually was. Yes…, she often wondered how would her life be, if she hadn't decided to elope with Tobias.

It was so surreal! How could things go so wrong so easily?

He had been so charming. Witty and fun to be with, he was different from her stuck-up pureblood acquaintances. In a blink of an eye they fell so deeply in love that for a while, even though her father disowned her as soon as they married, everything was perfect. She left the magical world without remorse.

They managed to buy a house and even set to renovate it. It wasn't much but it was theirs. When she told him she was pregnant, he spun her around laughing and kissed her soundly on the lips. When Severus was born, they were both overjoyed. They always had a hard time making both ends meet but they had each other and that was enough to ensure their happiness.

Then the fateful day came, when Tobias lost his job. He was framed for fraud and nobody believed him. Even his best mates left him. He couldn't find a job afterwards and started drinking to drown his sorrows. Things went downhill from that point.

Over the years, painful years, she lost all the affection she had for him but still, she couldn't bear to just up and leave. Where could they go anyway? Severus was still a child, a very mature child but a child nonetheless. She would be alone to face the world and the mere concept frightened her.

Today, the choice was made for her. Her strangely lucid husband was waiting for her in the lobby and as soon as she entered the house just handed her their divorce papers and some money from the odd end jobs he sometimes did.

- I'll be back in a three hours time and I want you out of here before I return. – he told her emotionlessly and just left

She froze in shock as it registered in her mind. Then, she got livid. How dare he!

- It's for the best. – said her eleven-year-old son from behind her, his voice quiet but filled with deep conviction.

She looked into his strangely empty bottomless black eyes and nodded weakly.

They would be finally free. Free of pain, free of limitations that made her abandon the magical world completely and free of Tobias. But where would they go?

Suddenly, a pair of regal looking eagle owls swooped through an open window and dropped two clearly official letters. The sight of the Gringotts' and the Prince family crests was the last straw. Suddenly, she felt lightheaded and dizzy and the darkness claimed her.

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_A/N:_

_What do you think about my writing style? Is my grammar okay? I have never written a fanfic in English before. Please, give me some feedback._

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_I know that there's sadly more drama than humor in the last chapters but I think that it's necessary and anyway, the proportion will reverse soon._

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_Please remember to take part in my poll. The main pairing is yet undecided.  
_


	5. Gambling with the goblins

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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At last! He thought he would never get out of there!

After the frustratingly tentative start, his mother and grandfather promptly reached an accord. They were both Slytherins after all. It was clear what Lord Prince wanted of them. He desperately needed an heir and Lucrece would undoubtedly ruin the Noble House of Prince. Meanwhile, his mother sought after what she thought was the best for him. There was nothing to think over. A promise of their own apothecary in Diagon Alley complete with a small apartment above only sweetened the deal that also included a stipend of 500 galleons a month for each of them. He had to admit that his grandfather could be generous when he really wanted something.

It was just surreal how many things they convinced him to do in a space of a few hours when they finally teamed up.

First they dragged him to St. Mungo's (that godforsaken place!) for a thorough check-up. Why did he listen to them anyway? They would clearly be the death of him! He simply detested hospitals. Madame Pomfrey always irritated him slightly with her mother hen approach but that nitwit of a mediwitch was truly something else. She fussed over him and treated him like a five-year-old child, forced some poorly brewed Nourishment Potions into him, fixed his teeth and then proceeded to fix his nose without asking for permission. She even put a permanent beauty charm on his hair! The nerve of that woman! The worse of it all was that his mother didn't even bat an eye at that. She even coughed a few times evidently trying not to laugh at his outraged expression and soon even Lord Prince joined her.

When he thought that the torment was finally over, they made him spend two hours playing dress-up at Twilfit and Tattings with two foolish shop girls who oddly reminded him of Fate. He seethed at the memory.

After all these silly endeavors to make him look the part of a Prince heir, they performed the blasted ritual and formally changed his name to Severus Aurelius Prince. Of course, in the past he would have jumped at the chance to get rid of his father's name. He was used to it now, though. It just didn't matter anymore as he had come to terms with his past a long time ago. Now, it was just a nuisance. A quite painful nuisance at that. The blood-adoption was designed for younger children after all.

Still, it could be useful. As he would undoubtedly be sorted into Slytherin again, it would definitely make a difference. At the very least, it would make it easier to climb the Hogwarts' social ladder. Also, his mother was always proud of their heritage and it would please her immensely.

Still, he didn't like giving his grandfather that much power over him. But what could he do? He was still a minor and his mother could easily make him follow their plan anyway.

He sighed. There was no point in crying over spilled potion. He had an important task to focus on at hand.

He confidently crossed the Gringotts' threshold and strode towards the nearest teller. The goblin didn't even acknowledge him. He cleared his throat and the blasted creature finally looked up and sneered at him.

_- Greetings Great Warrior. May your gold ever flow._ – he said coldly but respectfully in perfect Gobbledygook

_- Greetings. May this meeting be fruitful to us both. _– answered the now bewildered goblin

_- My name is Severus Aurelius Prince. I am aware that this is not an everyday occurence for you, __Master Goblin__ but do not dismiss me for my age. I have a prosperous proposition for the Goblin Nation and should you oblige, you'll not regret it._

He handed him a piece of parchment filled with dates, sports results, statistics and business instructions in elegant , cursive handwriting. Instructions that could easily make someone an overnight millionaire. He knew that as soon as the goblins checked them, they would be hooked. Severus inwardly smirked. His plan was simple but impeccable. Thanks to his occlumency training he had a near eidetic memory. He clearly remembered every issue of the Daily Prophet he has ever read and in the previous timeline he had always read the business and sports sections. Just thinking about the things he could achieve with the goblins' help in exchange for information… Just brilliant!

_- Let it be a show of my good faith. Should you find yourselves interested, feel free to owl me._

The goblin finally recovered from the shock at hearing an eleven-year-old boy speak flawless Gobbledygook, took the parchment and nodded briskly.

_- May your enemies be scattered and your chests always full of gold._

The goblin just looked at him with a still puzzled expression.

Hidden behind his occlumency shields, Severus overjoyed. Yes, it was exactly the reaction he wanted. Everything was going according to his plan at last.

He spun around and left the goblin to his thoughts.

He never noticed Lady Black watching him intently from behind a marble column.

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A/N:

_Please remember to take part in my poll. The main pairing is yet undecided._


	6. The lone wolf

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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When on earth did he manage to catch Lady Black's attention? He hadn't even met the woman in this timeline yet. Were people already gossiping about the new addition to the Noble House of Prince? If they were, Walburga would certainly hear all about it first. That insufferable gossip queen! Or maybe it was the friendship she had shared with his mother at Hogwarts? It was dubious at least. From what he had seen, the betrayal she felt when her only real friend eloped with a muggle ran really deep. No, it was obvious that she was scheming something. He didn't know her motives but he knew enough not to trust her.

Still, he was curious. What made Walburga overlook the betrayal and his half-blood status and write both his mother and grandfather only to arrange a playdate with her son of all things? She was clearly interested in him. Maybe she even saw him as a proper companion for her progeny or a future ally. Well, he could certainly use that. It could even be nearly worth it spending a whole shopping trip with the mutt. It would put his mother in high spirits too. She might have looked impassive while reading Walburga's missive but he knew that she would jump like a Gryffindor at the first chance of reconciliation. She still haven't forgiven herself for leaving her best friend without even saying goodbye.

Well, time to go. He checked himself in the mirror, scowled at the dandy image he presented and then quickly flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. He was already fashionably late. He spotted Black near the counter and confidently strode towards him.

- Sirius Black? – he asked feigning a neutral expression

- Yes. You must be Severus Prince, pleased to meet you. – he didn't look pleased at all. Such poor acting skills.

- Likewise. – Severus forced his facial muscles into a smile – Maybe we could…

He was interrupted by a floo flaring into life behind him. With a huge cloud of smoke and ash, James Potter tumbled into the pub. Severus winced.

- Sirius! – Potter exclaimed enthusiastically, brushing off the soot.

Black beamed at Potter and then raced towards him like an overjoyed puppy. Severus could almost see the wagging tail. He cleared his throat. The mutt had clearly forgotten that he was there! Black stopped abruptly, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

- Yes, ehm, James Potter, Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and my friend, Severus Prince, Heir to the Noble House of Prince. – Black introduced them to each other with a strained, sheepish smile.

- Pleased to meet you. – said Potter and then looked at the mutt incredulously - I thought we were going to shop together.

- Um…

- I was just about to say that Sirius – Morgana, how weird this name tasted on his tongue – should explore the Alley on his own. I will probably spend the whole afternoon at Flourish and Blotts anyway. We could meet up at Ollivander's at six o'clock.

Black looked at him with gratitude.

- Right, ehm… – Potter as eloquent as ever

- Tom, could you open the gateway for us, please? – Severus ignored him and asked the barman, who was polishing glasses nearby

- Right away, young sir. – he answered dropping the rag - Shopping for Hogwarts, eh? – he send them a crooked smile that showed some missing teeth.

Severus nodded. They followed him and soon they were standing in front of the bookshop.

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_**Lupin's POV**_

The new "Hogwarts, A History" edition! He always wanted to have a copy. Simply beautiful. It even smelled great. Sigh. He returned it to its shelf. There was no way he could afford it. His family was never really well-off and lately they had to move again because his father let slip of his condition after a few drinks with their new neighbors.

Remus forced the familiar flicker of anger down. It wasn't exactly his father's fault. He wasn't responsible for his son having been bitten either. He couldn't have known that Greyback would react so viciously to a common insult. He didn't abandon him afterwards too. Remus was grateful for a supportive family. They were all he had. Still, he hoped for a friend.

To his surprise, Headmaster Dumbledore allowed him to attend Hogwarts this year and his parents encouraged him to go. He still wasn't sure it was a good idea, though. But… maybe he could find someone who would like the real him there? Someone whom he could trust with his secret.

Still, who would like to be friends with a… beast like him? If they knew… He inwardly cringed.

* * *

He walked into the used books section. No! All the copies of the book were already sold out!

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

The wolf. Of course he would meet the wolf at the bookshop. There hadn't been a bigger bookworm than him at Hogwarts until Granger showed up.

He looked so young. His light brown hair had no grey in it. His robes were not as tattered as during the last war. He was looking at a copy of "Hogwarts: A History" adoringly.

Severus snorted. Somehow, the wolf always managed to amuse him. In the previous timeline he had acted cold towards Lupin at all times but the truth was that he actually rather enjoyed the wolf's company, not that he would ever admit it. He wasn't mad at him for the Shrieking Shack incident either. It was the mutt's fault after all.

Suddenly, there was a flicker of amber in the wolf's eyes. Anger? How… interesting. He followed Lupin to the used books section. Silly wolf, of course all the copies of that particular book would be sold out. It was almost September after all. Still, the wolf looked crestfallen.

Severus sighed. …

He must have spent too much time with the Gryffindorks. Yes, that must be it.

* * *

_**Lupin's POV**_

Remus was just leaving the bookshop, when he felt a hand land softly but confidently on his shoulder and a disturbingly pleasant, herbal scent filled his nostrils. He spun around only to look straight into the blackest eyes he had ever seen. They were beautiful. Bottomless as abyss and filled with slight amusement. Remus broke the gaze and gathered his wits.

The Stranger looked like a wealthy pureblood heir. He put a parcel in Remus' hands and smirked with confidence. Yes, definitely a pureblood heir.

- I thought you might like this. – said the Stranger as if it explained everything

- Why? – Remus knew he was almost certainly making an idiot of himself. The other boy had been probably taught rhetoric.

- I saw you looking at it and couldn't help myself.

- I can't take it – he might have been a werewolf but he still had his pride

- You would refuse a gift from the Noble House of Prince? – said the Stranger in mock indignation

- I… No, of course not. – he gazed into the black orbs again and blushed

- Good, see you at Hogwarts. – the black-eyed teen shifted slightly, as if preparing to leave

- Wait! May I know your name?

- Severus Aurelius Prince. – said the Stranger offering a handshake and smiling a bit crookedly.

Remus took his hand. It was silky smooth. He suddenly felt self-conscious about his own calloused and scarred hand but then Severus squeezed it lightly. He looked up at the obviously amused teen and for the first time in his life, felt butterflies in his stomach

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_A/N: So, who do you want Sev to end up with? _

_You know, there's a poll for that on my profile page. It's a showdown between Remus and Narcissa now. I'm keeping the options open for now but I'll have to make the final decision soon._

_Still, when it comes to romance, it's going to be an extremely slow-paced fic._


	7. Little Amelia

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

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_A/N Vacation at last! I will finally have time to update more often._

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_Some of you may have noticed that I have recently started publishing a new story. Don't worry. I will definitely not abandon this one. It is still the main one. I just need a little diversity to counteract the writer's block from time to time._

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_The poll on the main pairing is slowly coming to an end. I will close it before the next chapter. Take some time to help me decide. The competition is quite fierce. __Your vote may be the decisive one._

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_This chapter features Amelia Bones. I have no idea when she was born. In this fic I'm making her Severus' peer._

_Please remember that war changes people. Later on in her life, her family was murdered by Death Eaters. At this moment, however, she is a young, naive and romantic idealist._

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_**Amelia's POV**_

Amazing. Simply amazing!

In the midst of a lively crowd of students and their parents, the Hogwarts Express was slowly rolling in the station. Amelia tore her eyes off from the impressive muggle-built machine and scanned the crowd. She absentmindedly tucked a stray strand of blood red hair behind her ear and just took the scene in. It was even better than she had imagined!

Oh, it was all so exciting! Just like in her favorite bedtime story. Her mum met her dad on the first train ride after all and it was sooo romantic! Her mum's cat escaped from its basket and got lost in the crowd. Some mean six-year Slytherins found it and decided to use it for target practice. Then her dad came and saved the poor fluff ball. Of course, later on they were both sorted into Hufflepuff and fell in love. Was there any chance that something so perfect could happen to her too?

She quickly gave her parents a bear hug and bid them a teary farewell. She was ready now.

Here comes the rest of her life!

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

Maddening! Barking, howling mad, the lot of them! Little brats and exuberant, snot-nosed parents all over the station! He quickly bid his mother and grandfather farewell and made his way onto the train and into the nearest empty compartment. He warded and silenced it skillfully and sank heavily into the cushioned seat. He let his head fall back against it and closed his eyes. Perfect! Quiet at last!

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_**Amelia's POV**_

So exciting! There were so many kids her age! She would definitely make some friends at Hogwarts!

Everything was going so well. She had made her way onto the train in a record time. True, she had a little trouble with her trunk but some twins dressed in Gryffindor colours helped her with that and even treated her to some sweets! She chose a particularly colorful candy. Strawberry! How nice. She looked around, nodded briskly to encourage herself and set to find a lively compartment. It wouldn't do to travel alone, after all.

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

What was that racket that nearly overcame his silencing charm? Should he check it out? He would have to leave his peaceful compartment after all.

Still, some dunderhead child might be seriously hurt – supplied his inner teacher. He sighed heavily mourning the precious time of quiet. Damn it!

Decision made, he swiftly lifted the wards and opened the door.

Splendid. Really splendid. Just what he needed. An unconscious little girl with purple skin to take care of. He sighed again. Obviously a victim of some Gryffindorks' prank.

He almost casted a finite incantum, when a brightly coloured candy wrapper caught his eye. A potion. She would have to wait till Hogwarts then. Any countercharms could only make it worse now.

He levitated her carefully onto the seats in his compartment.

- Rennervate!

* * *

_**Amelia's POV**_

Amelia slowly recovered her senses. Where was she? What had happened to her? Her eyelids were so heavy! … That candy! The twins! They must have been the Prewitts! Oh, how could she be so stupid! Her mum warned her about them this morning after all.

She slowly opened her navy blue eyes. The most beautiful black orbs she had ever seen gazed back at her concerned.

She held her breath from excitement, her heart racing. It was just like in that muggle fairy tale that her aunt used to tell her when she was little, the Sleeping Belle or something!

It was obvious, wasn't it? She had found her prince at last!

* * *

_A/N Forgive me for the Prince pun. I just couldn't help myself._

_So, what do you think?_


	8. The Sorting Hat

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

* * *

_A/N Another update. Surprised? It's vacation time and I finally have time to write. __How cool is that?_

_**Okay, people. The poll is now oficially closed and the winner is... Narcissa Black!**__I know that I could easily manipulate the results because there was a tie for a really long time but hey, I'm not Dumbledore. You will just have to trust me ^-^._

_For all of the people who are worried about the age difference between Severus and Narcissa:_

_I am in fact aware of that. Don't worry. It will be realistic. She will treat him like a cute younger brother at first. I'm not going to make her notice him in a different way until he's a bit older._

* * *

_**Remus' POV**_

He wasn't looking forward to seeing Him again. He wasn't. Really.

…

If only he could convince himself of that!

The Stranger, no, Severus was probably a wealthy pureblood heir. He almost certainly believed in pureblood supremacy and detested half-breeds such as Remus. Remus could never tell him the truth.

Was it bad that he wanted to be his friend so much that it hurt?

He couldn't help looking for the black-eyed teen at the station. He couldn't help wondering in which compartment the Stranger was when he joined a rat-like boy at the end of the Hogwarts Express. He kept thinking about Him when James Potter joined their compartment and even when Sirius Black appeared to destroy all the stereotypes that should normally apply to the heir apparent to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.

Lost in thoughts, he didn't even notice the exact moment when the other boys found a common ground: pranks. Remus had never been a fan of pranking, so he stayed quiet for the whole ride. It was just too close to bullying to his liking.

They were nice enough, though. What more could he want?

…

He quickly banished the handsome, black-eyed teen from his mind.

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

True, it was all wonderful and exciting and the castle was great but the important question was: where was Sev? He was her best friend and she hadn't heard from him for nearly a week! It was natural that she was beyond worried. Had something bad happened? His father was not the nicest man, after all.

She had even gone to visit him at his house and her mum had specifically forbidden her from going into that district. And guess what? Nobody was home and there was even a "for sale" sign in the front yard!

Wait! Here he is! Oh, that toerag! Looking all peachy when she was going mad with worry!

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

Good, he was on time. He nearly missed the sorting because of that dimwit witch!

True, they arrived a bit too early but he had to get the Purple Girl to the infirmary. She insisted and insisted that she had been fine but she clearly had trouble breathing, her heart rate was too high and she was noticeably confused. She was even stuttering for Morgana's sake! Surely, it must have been the prank's side effect.

He subtly scanned his surroundings. Lily? Lily! He had forgotten! How could he forget? Of course she was alive. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Oh, Merlin. She was so beautiful! It just took one look into these angry, sparkling, emerald, almond shaped eyes and all of his old feelings resurfaced again.

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

She wanted to run to him, slap him, shout at him! How could he leave without a word? She needed to shake him and demand all the answers to the questions that were running through her head. Then suddenly he looked at her, really looked at her, beautiful black eyes filled with pain, longing, regret and a weird, fluffy feeling that she had never seen in his eyes before.

She sighed. Yes, she could wait for her answers. There must have been a reason for his mysterious disappearance. Her Sev just wouldn't do that to her without one.

* * *

_**Slughorn's POV**_

A new school year – so full of possibilities! The influx of first-years was truly tremendous. Minerva hadn't exaggerated the numbers after all. He would have to apologize to her later. Maybe even give her something nice. Crystallized pineapples perhaps? Never mind, never mind. Onto the more important things! He quickly scanned the group for future Slug Club members.

He recognized a few of the children. Sirius Black – there was definitely potential there. Still, he heard that the boy was a bit too exuberant. He would have to be careful with this one. James Potter… Potters – not the most ambitious lot. Still, we would see… Remus Lupin. Poor, poor boy. It wouldn't do to invite a dark creature to a prestigious club, though. What if the press caught wind of it? A pretty little redhead… She didn't look like a Bones or a Weasley. A muggleborn perhaps? Alice Walker… THE Alfred Walker's niece? Excellent Healer that one, truly excellent. It was a pity that they hadn't had a chance to meet yet. The abnormally skinny boy with big ears… Was it the Longbottom's heir? Judging from his body language a bit on the shy side but still…

Oh, may. Who was that regal looking teen that was hiding in the shadows? He definitely had the Prince family features. He had a bit blank look on his face, though. An Occlumens? Impossible! Or… maybe not?

Wait! He was about to be sorted, wasn't he?

* * *

_**Severus'POV**_

Gryffindor! Of course she was a Gryffindor – he raged ignoring his own sorting.

Stupid Sorting Hat! It could easily sort her into Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff! How could a Slytherin such as himself have a trouble-free relationship with a muggleborn lioness?

- A Slytherin? – inquired a voice inside his mind – I can easily see that. Cunning and ambition, yes, you have both of them in spades.

Damn it! He hadn't even felt the Hat's intrusion!

- Don't worry youngling. I have a very strict privacy policy. Always had. Salazar's idea, you know? Well, let's see... Wait! You're not so young anymore, are you, Severus Tobias Snape? Or do you prefer Severus Aurelius Prince?

He cursed again.

- Oh. Not too talkative, are you? No worries, I can do the talking. A second chance? Must have done something very, very, very brave to earn that privilege…

- Oh, no you don't!

- Easy there. Of course I won't sort you there. You would eat the lions alive. Hmm… Intelligent without a doubt…

- I don't seek knowledge for knowledge's sake, though.

- Too true. Well, let's take a second look. Oh, may! It's a nightmare to earn your loyalty but once given… You even sacrificed your own live at the end! Hardworking too… I know just where to sort you!

- No, no, no! Don't you dare!

- HUFFLEPUFF!

He occluded his mind and faced the cheering badgers. Merlin, Mordred and Morgana! He was a bloody Hufflepuff!

He sat at the end of the table. His pride still smarted a little but then Lily gave him a wide, genuine smile and waved from the Gryffindor table. A smile. She smiled at him not Potter. Maybe he was being childish but after all he had been through, he sure as hell had the right to be childish from time to time.

* * *

_**Amelia's POV**_

Oh, he was so dreamy! Handsome and well-mannered. And so caring! She was going to ignore the whole purple skin incident and bravely take part in the sorting ceremony but he insisted on her going to the infirmary. He was clearly worried, that kind soul. Her prince! He was a real Prince too. So funny! It was obviously meant to be! Princess Amelia and Prince Severus! She giggled.

If only she knew where he had been sorted! It was all the horrid twins fault! How dare they attack her, a defenseless first-year! At least their Head of House, Professor McGonagall was all for justice and assigned them a proper punishment! For the whole next week they would have to follow her around and help her with anything she needed. Professor McGonagall thought it would be a good lesson of humility for them and that they would learn to actually think before acting. Amelia agreed with her wholeheartedly. Oh, they would learn. They would definitely learn that Hufflepuffs were not to be trifled with!

* * *

_A/N Don't forget to check out my new fic._


	9. Catching Cissa's eye

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

* * *

_A/N: I'm back. Sorry for the delay._

* * *

Saying that he was not a morning person would be a tremendous understatement and it wasn't even that he disliked getting up early. No, it was the brats that were driving him crazy. Severus sighed deeply sipping his steaming black coffee amidst cheerfully chattering Hufflepuffs. Why him? Seriously? Hadn't he done enough of repenting in his previous life? He sighed again and tuned in to actually listen to what the Purple Girl – Amelia Bones, he corrected himself - had been half-giggling at him for at least the last twenty minutes.

- … and then Professor McGonagall came and gave them a stern talking to…

Ah, so she was talking about the terror twins – Severus thought and smiled slightly imagining an enraged Minerva. Oh, yes, they've done it now!

* * *

_**Amelia's POV**_

He smiled at her! Like, really really really smiled at her! At last! She had been trying to get a positive reaction from him for at least half an hour now. So he was listening! And here she thought that he was ignoring her. How could she?! Of course, he wasn't! He was her prince, and princes just don't ignore their princesses. No, he was simply a man of few words. So manly! Encouraged, she continued with the story.

- … She thought it would be a good lesson of humility for them, you know, and that they would learn to actually think before acting and I, like, totally agree, you know? …

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

Lily was not a happy bunny.

- What's up? – asked Alice

Lily glanced at the Hufflepuff table again. Yup, definitely not a happy bunny.

- Hey, don't you dare ignore me! What's going on?

She looked into her new friend's worried eyes briefly.

- It's Sev – she finally grumbled.

- Sev? As in Severus, your childhood friend, Sev?

- Yes.

- So, what's got your knickers in a twist?

She pointedly looked at the Hufflepuff table.

- Ah, I see. Mmm, he is very dashing, if I have to say so myself. – she said jokingly in a grandmotherly voice - You sure he's only your childhood friend?

- Of course, I am. – she said indignantly, even though the jealous little kid that lived in the corner of her mind disagreed quite strongly – It's just that I know that she is bothering him. Just look at him, doesn't he look annoyed?

They both looked at the Hufflepuff, just in time to see him smile fondly at Amelia.

- Maybe he just likes redheads - Alice offered weakly.

- You're not helping, you know – said the blonde second year that was sitting next to them.

They both glared at the new girl.

Lily huffed.

- Well, I'm sure that he's just being polite.

- You keep telling yourself that darling. – said the offended second year's best friend gleefully.

Lily didn't answer. She viciously stabbed her bacon instead.

* * *

_**Narcissa's POV**_

Narcissa wasn't what you'd call a typical morning person. She wasn't overly cheerful or talkative at this time of day. She didn't feel like singing from joy or acting like on a sugar rush. Still, she liked mornings the best.

It was simple, really. She loved to gossip and as the resident gossip queen she needed to keep up with the latest news. And when would be a better time for gossip hunting than in the mornings, when people (Slytherins excluded) were usually sleepy and in consequence completely unguarded?

Yes, it was beyond easy to see why she loved mornings so much.

She scanned the Great Hall, calmly sipping her favorite tea. How could people drink pumpkin juice so early in the morning anyway? Maybe they just weren't smart enough to bribe the house elves with some extra work. She smirked inwardly. Wait! Was that a Hufflepuff firstie drinking coffee? She took a closer look. Yes, it was. How… curious.

He looked like a perfect pureblood heir. Immaculate, expensive robes, proud posture, impassive face… Cute as a button too. He looked slightly annoyed, though. Maybe… Yes, it was because of the redhead next to him, obviously chattering him to death. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the boy.

But still… what in Morgana's name was he doing in Hufflepuff?! She knew a snake when she saw one. And he was…

Wait, wasn' he… Yes, the Prince heir. The one her favorite aunt was lately obsessed about. Narcissa couldn't help being intrigued either. He had literally popped out of nowhere, after all.

She would have to get closer to the boy then, both to satisfy her curiosity and to provide a perfect, detailed report, I mean letter, that wouldn't disappoint her Aunt Walburga.

The Slytherin Ice Queen smiled gleefully and the Slytherins shuddered as one. Severus Aurelius Prince was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma and she would have so much fun unwrapping it!

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

- And then I was like, of course Professor, and she was like…

Boooring. Utterly boring. Why did the girl latch herself onto him, again? He would have never "rescued" her if he knew that she would act like this afterwards. The prank wasn't all that dangerous after all. Humiliating yes, but dangerous – definitely not.

Why did he help her, again?

He glanced at the Gryffindor table. Lily! At last. He caught her eyes and waved at her enthusiastically.

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

So he finally decided to grace her with a glance. She almost glared when he waved at her.

- You know, he came to the Great Hall so early that the food wasn't on the tables yet and he kept searching for someone on our side of the hall for a really long time. – said Sir Nicholas conversationally, seeing her stormy face – Who do you think he was looking for?

Her expression softened. She sighed. It was her Sev after all. Of course, he wasn't ignoring her. He must have tuned out completely to survive that idiot girl's chattering. Yes, that must have been it.

Having that resolved, she waved back cheerfully and smiled widely when he positively beamed at her.

* * *

_**Amelia's and Narcissa's POV**_

WHO THE HELL IS THE GRYFFINDORK?!


	10. Wonders of the inter-house unity

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

* * *

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

* * *

_AN: I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been really, really, really busy lately._

* * *

_On a positive note, I've finally finished my plot mind map. It looks crazy and it's full of romance, which was not exactly planned (I guess I have to change the genre of this story to humor/romance now)._

* * *

**Remus' POV**

The breakfast was truly exquisite. The Great Hall looked, well, great, especially so with the enchanted ceiling reflecting the perfectly sunny baby-blue sky and the golden plates shining brightly underneath different kinds of breads, buns, pastries, jams, cheese, ham, sausages and eggs prepared in every way imaginable and so much more. To top it all, judging by the noise, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Even the Headmaster seemed unusually jolly. Hah! Jolly was definitely an understatement. His eyes were twinkling like little stars and he… yes, he actually hummed merrily over a raspberry jam toast!

- Still, something is visibly missing – mused Remus buttering his own toast sleepily and nodding absentmindedly to something that James said. Or was it Sirius? He really should try to pay more attention to them. They were nothing but nice to him, after all.

With a slightly more focused look he exchanged a tentative smile with his new… friends(, perhaps?) and took a bite of the toast, only to choke on it a second later and almost suffocate as the Stranger (Severus damn it, Severus!) suddenly appeared by their table.

- Are you alright? – he heard a worried, velvety voice, tears still clouding his sight

- Yes – he croaked, coughed some more and took a sip of his pumpkin juice – I'm okay, thanks – he said in a slightly firmer voice, valiantly trying not to cough again and failing miserably. Well, James certainly wasn't helping him with that, belatedly patting his back with much too much force, was he?

- Good – Severus said simply, looking as impeccable as ever – Remus, wasn't it?

- Yes – Remus almost squeaked making the other Gryffindor boys goggle at him in surprise

- Do watch out, Remus. You wouldn't want to actually suffocate to death on your first day, would you?

Remus nodded hastily and blushed a bit, more than a little ashamed of himself for acting like that in front of his crush. Unfortunately, before he could really get a grip of himself, Severus had been long gone.

Merlin! Not again! Why did this happen to him? Why? And on his first day here at that! - he sighed deeply, his eyes unconsciously trailing sadly after the object of his affection. Could this day get any worse?

- Say…, what was THAT about? – asked Sirius, curiosity clear in his voice.

Why, Merlin, why? They just had to notice!

* * *

**Lily's POV**

Wait, what was he doing? Was he actually leaving his own house on his first day to join her for breakfast? She exchanged an amazed look with Alice.

- Talk about a statement! – commented her astonished friend and Lily, well Lily could only agree with her.

Obviously, they weren't the only ones to notice. Some Hufflepuffs even gaped at him openly and his forgotten redheaded companion glared at her venomously. If looks could kill…

But he didn't notice any of that and just kept striding towards them confidently, his school robes billowing ominously behind him. Suddenly, he stopped.

Why did he…? … Oh, Sev, always the kind soul! Of course he would offer to help the sandy-haired boy out. No wonder he was a Hufflepuff! Still, didn't he notice that the boy was visibly mortified by all that attention? He even blushed for Morgana's sake! Poor boy. Definitely a shy one. What was his name, again? Fergus? Marcus? … Remus! Yes, that was it.

But look, Sev was on the move again! She wouldn't be surprised if he had the attention of every female Gryff by now. He looked…

- Gorgeous… - breathed out her best friend

- Alice! – she scolded her indignantly

- Just admiring, Lils. But you have to admit that…

- Ladies.

They both jumped slightly. How did he get here so fast?

- How are you this fine morning? – he asked in that velvety voice of his

She stared at him. Was he really…? An overused pick up line?! After he left without a word? After she almost worried to death?

She cuffed him on the head. Hard.

- Umm, I'm sorry I haven't contacted you for so long? Really, really sorry?

She sighed. Who could possibly dare to resist these puppy eyes? She quickly hugged him tightly only to almost get the life squeezed out of her in return.

- I missed you. – she said with a smile, feeling all warm and bubbly inside

- I missed you too, Lils – he whispered heartily hiding his face into her hair.

* * *

**Dumbledore's POV **

Oh, how splendid! Only a first year and already bravely promoting the inter-house unity? He could almost feel his eyes twinkling merrily. He would just have to help the lad out! True, he promised Minnie that he would cut down on meddling, but it was for the Greater Good! Absolutely! They would make such a cute couple! And Mr. Prince would undoubtedly be happier with the positive influence of an experienced mentor. Oh, yes he would! – he nodded to himself happily - But wait! Was that a hint of jealousy that he detected from both the little Miss Bones and the undisputed Ice Queen of Slytherin? Splendid, splendid indeed! Nothing's better than a little drama in the grey, grey, grey everyday life, after all!

Still, he would have to watch out for Miss Black. – he frowned a bit - It would be better if the Prince heir stayed firmly on the light side after all. Much, much better. Maybe he could…

* * *

**Severus' POV**

Severus shuddered suddenly. Merlin! He would always recognize this feeling! Always! Yes, it was… it was… the TWINKLING EYES ALERT!

Not again! Why, Merlin, Mordred and Morgana, why?! How the hell did he catch the old coot's attention this time? He hadn't done anything, absolutely anything extraordinary so far!

But still, sure enough, the moment he looked up to the head table he was nearly blinded by the sparkles in the Headmaster's baby-blue eyes.

He averted his own eyes immediately. Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out… Think! Focus! Lily, focus on Lily! He looked at her chatting merrily with Alice Longb… Walker, it was still Walker. He would have to remember that!

He occluded his thoughts. Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out… Oh, that's better. Much, much better…

Right, let's do it. He could be charming if he tried, couldn't he?

- Ladies – they jumped a bit, visibly surprised - How are you this fine morning? – he continued smoothly

Lily stared at him blankly and he squirmed inside. And then she, she cuffed him on the head! What was that for?! Wait… Oooh.

- Umm, I'm sorry I haven't contacted you for so long? Really, really sorry?

He offered tentatively and tried to emulate the Mutt's puppy eyes. And it… worked? Really? Yes, it did! She hugged him after all. Marvelous! Maybe the Mutt wasn't as worthless as he had previously thought. He certainly did have his uses. But the thoughts of the Mutt aside, everything was right in his little world again. He inhaled the scent of Lily's favorite peach shampoo for the first time in what seemed to be ages and unconsciously smiled. Yes, everything was perfect again.

* * *

**Amelia's POV**

That bitch! That scarlet woman! That, that… m-m-mudblood! Yes, she had to be one! A proper witch would never, never, NEVER jump at a wizard like that! Or cuff him on the head like that! That barbarian! How dare she! Hugging her Prince, HER Prince. Oh, she would have to pay!

Still, they seemed to be pretty close, so the m-mudblood probably wouldn't give him up without a fight – Amelia eyed the other redhead calculatingly. … She could… Yes, and then… Perfect! And then she would have to just… But…

- Err, hello?

The Horrid Twins! Exactly what she needed! They shuddered as one.

- You're late - she rebuked them harshly, inwardly feeling quite gleeful at their fearful reaction

- We…

- I don't care. – she interrupted and they squirmed a bit; twin A even looked like he wanted to say something – At all!

- But we haven't had breakfast yet! - twin B whined

- Do I look like I care? – she raised her eyebrow a bit, hopefully just like her role model, lady Augusta Longbottom. Their faces visibly blanched. Yes, the hours and hours of practicing in front of the mirror paid off at last! - Now, take my bag and show me to the owlery!

- But…

- NOW!

Perfect! They surely knew all the shortcuts, so she wouldn't be late for her classes and she would still manage to sent THE letter beforehand. It was the most important letter in her whole life after all. She almost cheered. Yes, she would have her Prince! Totally! She cackled gleefully. He was too good for that mudblood anyway!

* * *

**Twins' POV**

Scary! She IS a itty bitty Hufflepuff right? Right? RIGHT?… Err, to the owlery it is, then.

* * *

_AN: Please review. I want to know what you think. Pretty please? And please don't be mad for Amelia using the m-word. For all of the Amelia-lovers - no, she isn't really a muggle(born) hater in this story, she just strongly dislikes Lily for taking away her Prince._

* * *

_Can anyone guess what the letter is going to be about? Anyone?_


	11. A reluctant prodigy

**I don't own the Potterverse or anything inside of it. I'm just playing a bit in J.K. Rowling's world.**

* * *

**No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

**I'm not a native English speaker. If you see any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them immediately.**

* * *

_A/N: Hi there. I just wanted to ask you something. Cutiedust suggested using quotation marks when a character is speaking. She doesn't find my current format (- XXX – said John) annoying, but still… Would you guys rather I used quotation marks? I'm just not used to using them while writing dialogues (it's not the most popular format in my country). It would be a pain (and there is a slight possibility that I would update even less frequently because I would have to double check everything) but if you really want me to start using them… The question is: do you?_

* * *

Dunderheads! Dimwits! Imbeciles! Birdbrains! Simpletons! Oh, there just weren't enough words in the English language to fully describe the scale of their idiocy!

Oh, he knew very well why they were following him. This wasn't a simple case of stalking. No. They had chosen him, HIM of all people, as the leader of their year. The worst of it all, it was clearly his and only his fault. Why, Merlin, why had he decided to show off in his classes? Respect be damned, they had been following him for at least five hours now! And it wasn't even only the firsties now! Watching him with disgustingly adoring eyes, asking him about his opinion constantly, offering to carry his bag or dust off his robes, sharpen his quills, even straighten his parchment! One idiot girl had even tried to cut his pork chop for him at dinner!

The nerve of these people!

They rose when he rose and sat only when he sat. The girls kept giggling and sending shy looks his way every single bloody second and the boys kept intimidating anyone who dared to say anything against him however irrelevant it was! Even the Gryffindorks had noticed their unusual behavior and he was definitely on every Slytherin's "to watch" list of people now. Really, just what he needed! Extremely annoyed, he glared heatedly at the most persistent group of his Hufflepuff peers.

- What are they? Sheep? – he thought with disdain, irritated beyond belief.

He huffed angrily and strode towards the Great Hall, his over-eager entourage almost at his toes.

Still, they were only children. Only children, only children – he kept chanting in his head, reminding himself of this simple fact just as he had always been doing at this time of year for the last seventeen years. Unfortunately killing students was a big no-no however tempting it was at times. He sighed.

At least they were finally keeping an almost respectable distance now (no doubt only because of the tantrum that he had thrown about an hour before). Still, it wouldn't deter these nitwits for long, would it? He glanced at his "followers" calculatingly and they beamed at him, relishing his attention. No, it wouldn't. Bloody Hufflepuffs! Just how exactly was he supposed to catch Lily alone before the curfew?

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

Poor, poor Sev – she thought merrily finishing her supper. How annoyed he must be right now? It's a miracle that he hadn't started cursing his little fans by now. She giggled. Oh, she had almost burst out laughing when she had seen that tiny, tiny blonde Hufflepuff girl try to cut his pork chop for him at dinner. If looks could kill… Still, this outraged and shocked expression that he had sported at that moment… [insert even more giggling]… Hilarious, simply hilarious!

Still chuckling lightly, she left the Gryffindor table and made a beeline for her best friend.

It was easier said than done, though. Even more so with the newest bunch of extremely hyper Hufflepuffs that seemingly materialized in front of her, effectively blocking her path.

Feeling a bit irritated now, she tried to maneuver between them but they didn't budge a bit.

- Excuse me…

- Have you heard?

- Of course I have!

- … he has finished his potion first!

- I heard that it was perfect!

- I know! Even Slughorn was shocked!

- And in Transfiguration…

- … I heard it from the Slytherins…

- … and he saved Amelia!

- … didn't let the Claws bully me…

- So handsome!

- … Can you believe it?!

- … Amazing!

- Such perfect manners…

- … obviously a pureblood!

- Excuse me! – she tried in a stronger voice but still, no one seemed to notice her.

She scoffed indignantly.

…

No, of course she wasn't jealous. Even a tiny, tiny bit… Really!

…

HE WAS HER BEST FRIEND!

…

Had she really just thought that?

…

Okay, so maybe, MAYBE she was a bit jealous – she grudgingly admitted to herself - Just a bit, though.

Having this resolved, she eyed the excited crowd gathered around her Sev again, looking for an opening.

Finally, she sighed with resignation.

There was still tomorrow, wasn't it?

* * *

_**Severus' POV**_

Annoying brats! How dare they keep him from Lily? – he raged silently among his roommates' snores, glaring at his outrageously yellow bed curtains.

He had to find a way to contact her without leaving his dorm! He promised her to explain the whole situation after all.

Still, what could he do without giving his secret away?

Think, Severus, think!

No, he obviously couldn't send her a Patronus message. It was clearly too advanced for a first year student, even an extremely talented one.

A house elf? If only they hadn't been forbidden to answer the student's calls!

Enchanted diaries? No, he would have to give her one first.

Floo? She wouldn't be in the common room anyway. What else could he…

Wait! The interdepartmental memos in the Ministry! Yes, something like that would be absolutely perfect!

He quickly sketched a short letter and folded it into an origami owl, just like Lily had shown him years and years ago.

Now – the charm. Thank Merlin that he had actually seen Kingsley cast that particular one once. What had that idiot auror mumbled then? Wasn't it… Yes, probably… Well, let's give it a try…

Suddenly the origami owl flapped its tiny wings and haphazardly rose into the air.

- Find Lily Marie Evans – he ordered imperiously and the owl almost shot through the open window, barely missing the hard, stone wall.

* * *

_**Lily's POV**_

Yes, she was a bit mad at him – she finally admitted to herself staring at her favorite and now completely useless, broken purple quill. Maybe even more than a bit. She huffed angrily ripping the remains of the quill into shreds. She had every right to be cross with him! He had promised to explain everything after all and he had never broken a promise before!

Still, he hardly had any chance to catch her alone - her conscience supplied. She sighed quietly. It wasn't his fault. Not entirely, anyway. She would just have to wait until…

What was THAT?! A small, parchment like blur shot through her dorm room again, messing her hair and nearly overturning Alice's ink pot. It stopped for a bit, visibly hesitating, accidently enabling her to take a closer look. It was… an origami owl? Covered with Sev's handwriting? … A message!

Oh, he must have tried to use a new charm for her! And such a complicated one at that! No wonder it was a bit faulty.

She quickly cornered the owl but somehow, it effortlessly passed by her and headed for the door.

The door… Oh, no! Alice had left the door ajar!

The tiny paper creature shot onto the staircase with Lily almost at its toes. She chased it through the common room and onto the next staircase and…

Suddenly, she ran into something solid. Solid and… warm? Warm and smelling like a bucket of the most expensive and repulsive cologne she had ever scented? … Oh, no! Not him!

Black quickly gathered himself from the floor, helped her to her feet and waggled his eyebrows.

- Wooow, baby, you must have been a hell of a broom in your past life. – he said smoothly with a charming, albeit arrogant smile

She just stared at him blankly, confused.

- You know, cause you just swept me off my feet?

She huffed angrily. She had no time for this nonsense right now!

- Oi, Siiii-riiiuuuuus – Potter's sing song voice came from inside of the boys' dorm room – Is it yours? Where did you get it? It's bloody brilliant! It would be perfect for the Quidditch practice, you know? We could borrow some brooms from the second years and…

And then he came outside holding the paper owl by its wings like it was nothing. The little thing was still struggling desperately, when Lily snatched it from his hand.

- It's mine. Thank you. Goodnight. – She said a bit stiffly and retreated quickly, eager to finally find out the reason for Sev's disappearance.

Her mind already on the letter, she hadn't even noticed the two gobsmacked boys left in her wake.

* * *

_A/N Some feedback would be nice… / Nice? Who am I kidding? It would make my day! Please review._


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